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Netflix Pays Comcast for Access – Is Net Neutrality Dead?

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Netflix has agreed to pay Comcast to peer directly with the broadband provider in order to ensure smooth delivery of Netflix services to end users.

The issue of Netflix performance had come to the fore in recent weeks. The streaming video service now accounts for about 30% of internet traffic and broadband subscribers have been complaining of performance issues in recent weeks, especially since Season 2 of House of Cards was launched last week.

Some argue that this deal is no more than business as usual on the internet. The money Netflix pays to Comcast (amount undisclosed) will be offset by savings on money they would have paid others to indirectly deliver their content. Netflix still has to pay for its bandwidth, it’s argued, and it makes more sense to deal directly with the ISPs.

About Conn Ó Muíneacháin

Conn Ó Muíneacháin works at Blacknight, Ireland's largest provider of domains and hosting. He's an award-winning radio producer, podcaster and blogger. He's an engineer as well (not the award-winning kind).
Conn produces video for Blacknight and edits Technology.ie. Labhair Gaeilge leis!